Barbican Living
Description of The Postern
If you follow the Gilbert Bridge over the lake, pass under Andrewes House, and then take a dog leg to the left, you will be on the Postern Bridge heading towards London Wall. Postern Bridge is a covered pedestrian way about 12 feet wide. On your left is Roman House in Wood Street (not a very attractive outlook). On your right – in fact right on the footpath – are the front doors of the Postern properties (completed in March 1971). There are 7 town houses (on 4 storeys with garages), a maisonette, a flat and the Rectory of St Giles’ Church. (The Barbican Estate Office classify them all as flats.). They are numbered 1 - 10. I get the impression they are mainly linked to the church or used by businesses.
At the start of the Postern Bridge, there are stairs down to St Giles Terrace, where St Giles’ church is. You are now at street level. The back of Crowders’ Well pub opens onto it as well. The architects, Chamberlain, Powell and Bon, put it there because it is traditional (so they said) for the village pub to be next to the church. There is a huge sign on the lower wall of Gilbert House rather plaintively urging “Drinking is not allowed outside the public house – drinkers must stay inside”.
The Postern houses do not have back entrances onto this terrace, although they overlook it. They overlook the church and the extension of the lake which runs between the church and the remains of the City Wall. At the other end of the Postern Bridge, the Postern joins Wallside and one branch of the podium pathway turns right into Wallside.
